A victim of emotional abuse says, ‘I’m staying in the marriage for the kids’ sake.’ How do you respond?

Abstract

Emotional abuse breeds self-doubt. While attorneys are not therapists, we can still be supportive of what our clients are going through. That means, along with discussing legal strategies regarding whether a client ultimately leaves or stays in the marriage “for the kids’ sake,” let’s remember to truly help our clients feel heard and understood. It’s called validation.